Seattle Has Two Goals In Three Games, Spoiling Daccord's Fine Debut In Net
Just a season ago, the Kraken were one of the NHL's premiere road teams, fashioning a 26-11-4 record away from Climate Pledge Arena. They even reeled off an NHL-record seven straight wins on a mid-season road trip.
How right Kraken GM Ron Francis was in reminding us right before this new season that everybody starts back at zero.
Three games in, zero is the number of Seattle victories on its season-opening road trip. The latest setback came Saturday in St. Louis, a 2-1 shootout loss to the Blues.
1st Period
The Kraken may have to work on getting pucks through to the net. After just 23 SOG in Nashville, nine Seattle shots were blocked by St. Louis in the game's first seven minutes, in what was otherwise a fast start by the visitors (five scoring chances).
A Vince Dunn slash allowed Kraken goalie Joey Daccord for the first time to show his puck-handling skills, making one clear all by himself. Seattle killed the minor without allowing a SOG.
The Kraken appeared to have broken the ice at 13:36, when Dunn fired from the blue line through a crowd. But Jared McCann, standing in front, made contact with St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington.
Replays showed Binnington snapping his head back as the puck flew by, and officials agreed with the St. Louis challenge: goalie interference, no goal.
When will the Hockey Gods allow Seattle to score a goal that counts?
Oliver Bjorkstrand at 16:28 takes the Kraken's ninth minor in less than seven periods of hockey this season - the definition of playing with fire. Seattle doesn't get burned because of four outstanding plays shorthanded.
- Jamie Oleksiak (legally) crushes Pavel Buchnevich against the end boards, then makes a block (Buchnevich fell awkwardly, and was out for the remainder of the game)
- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Seattle's penalty-killing "destroyer," breaks his stick, but doesn't quit - he intercepts a crossing pass with a sliding kick of the puck to center ice
- Joey Daccord again takes matters into his own hands with a shorthanded clear
- McCann hits the goalpost on a break
The period ends 0-0, but not for lack of Kraken effort, who deserved their 9-4 SOG edge.
2nd Period
Seattle Kraken's Oliver Bjorkstrand vs. St. Louis.Bjorkstrand said in a ROOT Sports interview that the Kraken through 20, "Played hard and moved the puck quick." They started the period with 47 seconds remaining on a St. Louis too many men penalty, but Bjorkstrand only needed 40. His right side drive was deflected off the shaft of Jaden Schwartz's stick.
A power play goal! Seattle's first of the season. 1-0 Seattle. Not only did a former Blue, Schwartz, get the goal, but onetime St. Louis draft choice Dunn drew the second assist.
At the other end, Daccord seemed intent on proving his unreal 0.57 pre-season goals against average was no fluke. He denied Nick Leddy's shot off the rush, and Jacob Vrana's bang-bang rebound.
Seattle's early-season lack of offensive finish came back to bite them when Binnington stopped Matty Beniers on a 2-on-1. (Andre Burakovsky had his own 2-on-1 earlier in the period, Eeli Tolvanen and Jordan Eberle later - none of the four resulted in a goal.)
On the Blues' counter-attack, Jordan Kyrou converted a give-and-go pass from Robert Thomas to tie the game 1-1 at 7:49.
Shots finished 11-9 Seattle for the period, 20-13 through 40. Seattle killed a Justin Schultz trip, and are now 10-10 shorthanded on the season. They've even won 71% of draws!
Kraken fans, are you going to stand for this?
Third Period
Not only did Dunn's early interference minor not hurt, the Kraken actually had better chances shorthanded than the Blues did on the PP. Bellemare's faceoff win also helped Seattle rise to 11-for-11 on the PK. But... they're getting way too many opportunities to show off.
Bjorkstrand with 7:22 remaining clanged the left post from the inside edge of the left wing circle. Why, Hockey Gods, why?
Daccord, who has shown admirable positioning, calmness and confidence throughout, repeatedly rose to the occasion in the final five minutes of regulation. After absorbing a Sammy Blais shot into his chest with no rebound, he rewarded Bellemare with a shin-pad tap for keeping his crease clear.
The Kraken netminder was also up to the task when Blais roared down the slot, forehand to backhand. Daccord's toe pad kept the score tied.
Goals remained 1-1 after 60. Shots favored Seattle 29-24, although St. Louis had the 3rd period edge, 11-9.
Overtime
Seattle dominated possession in overtime, retreating again and again to center to get fresh bodies on while St. Louis defenders were trapped in their own zone.
It wasn't until the final 30 seconds that the Kraken achieved a grade-A chance. From the goal line to the left of the Blues cage, Andre Burakovsky sent a perfect pass up the slot to a breaking Adam Larsson. Binnington, with his best save of the night, reached a pad out to deny Larsson's game-winning attempt.
Shots finished 31-26 Seattle, and they won 60% of faceoffs.
Shootout
Robert Thomas scored in the third round of the shootout for St. Louis, after Daccord had made fine saves on Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou. None of Beniers, Bjorkstrand, or Eberle could solve Binnington. St. Louis wins, 2-1.
The Kraken secure their first standings point, as they prepare for their home opener against the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday night.
